The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said in a new report published on Tuesday that the physical integrity of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant (ZNPP) in Ukraine has been violated several times.
The report noted that the “nuclear safety and security situation” at the ZNPP has “worsened” since April, including “a considerable number of events” that have “significantly compromised” all seven of the IAEA’s pillars of nuclear safety.
russian shellings of #ZNPP damaged the last transmission line which connected plant w the Ukrainian grid. The last operational power unit is now disconnected from system & only covers ZNPP in-house electricity needs, Energoatom informs. Again! While IAEA mission is still there!!! pic.twitter.com/N3r8cwHcVr
— Olena Halushka (@OlenaHalushka) September 5, 2022
To this end, the organisation’s director-general, Rafael Grossi, raised concerns that “any further escalation affecting the six-reactor plant could lead to a severe nuclear accident with potentially grave radiological consequences for human health and the environment in Ukraine and elsewhere.” He added that “renewed shelling at or near the ZNPP was deeply troubling for nuclear safety and security at the facility, and reiterated his demand that all such military activity cease.”
The report concluded by saying that “Pending the end of the conflict and re-establishment of stable conditions there is an urgent need for interim measures to prevent a nuclear accident arising from physical damage caused by military means.” The body suggested that this could be achieved “by the immediate establishment of a nuclear safety and security protection zone.”
ISAMZ experts are carrying out detailed & continuous work to assess the physical damage to the plant’s facilities, determine the functionality of the main & back-up safety & security systems, evaluate the staff’s working conditions, & perform safeguards activities.
— Rafael MarianoGrossi (@rafaelmgrossi) September 6, 2022
A day before the IAEA publication, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant is just “one step away from a radiation disaster” due to “Russian provocation.” He revealed that “the last power transmission line connecting the plant to the energy system of Ukraine” had been “damaged” earlier that day “due to another Russian provocative shelling.”
“While we controlled the plant, there was no threat of a radiation disaster. As soon as Russia came, the worst scenario imaginable immediately became possible. This requires an international response—from the UN to every normal state,” he said.
Zelensky underscored that “the terrorist state” does not care about the IAEA’s report or about “what the international community decides.” He further stated that Moscow is “interested only in keeping the situation the worst for the longest time possible.”
#Nebenzia: We continue to do our best to ensure the safe operation of the #ZNPP. Our standard technical personnel, with the support of Russian🇷🇺 specialists, are ensuring its functioning. So far, the radiation situation at the station remains normal. pic.twitter.com/pYwJ1qxFaM
— Russia at the United Nations (@RussiaUN) September 7, 2022
Zelensky thus emphasised that the situation could only be “corrected” by strengthening sanctions and “officially recognising Russia as a terrorist state - at all levels.”
Responding to the IAEA report’s findings, British Ambassador Barbara Woodward said at the Security Council briefing on the ZNPP on Tuesday that “By choosing to invade a nuclear power plant, and putting Zaporizhzhia in the cross-fire, Russia is playing roulette with nuclear safety.”
She stated that as long as Russia continued to occupy the plant, “its safe and secure operation” cannot be guaranteed. Woodward called for “the full withdrawal of Russian troops and personnel,” whose equipment she noted had been as close as 60 metres to the nuclear reactors in some cases.
#Nebenzia: We call on the Security Council members & the leadership of the #UN to strongly condemn provocative actions of the Kiev regime, which are aimed not only against the #ZNPP staff, but also against int'l officials - employees of the #IAEA.
— Russia at the United Nations (@RussiaUN) September 7, 2022
🔗https://t.co/lgkihmsXuW pic.twitter.com/GrfyROiXc3
Woodward added that the international community must be “under no illusion” that the “situation” at Zaporizhzhia had been “entirely of Russia’s making. She blamed Russia’s invasion for disrupting operations of nuclear facilities across Ukraine and “jeopardising the safety of millions in the region who would be affected by a nuclear incident.”
The diplomat declared that only Russia could “resolve the situation by immediately withdrawing its forces from Zaporizhzhia, and all of Ukraine, and ceasing its senseless and reckless aggression.”
Also today, four IAEA experts left #ZNPP as planned after several days of essential safety, security & safeguards work. Two others remain as part of a continuing presence at the site.
— IAEA - International Atomic Energy Agency (@iaeaorg) September 5, 2022
At the same meeting, Russia’s permanent representative to the UN, Vasily Nebenzya, said the IAEA “had a great opportunity to make sure that the only threat” at the ZNPP was “the shelling and sabotage” by Ukraine. He further stated that Moscow would “not sit idly by” and “allow the reckless actions of the Kyiv regime to be hushed up.” To this end, he claimed that Ukrainian forces had shelled the ZNPP area, the meeting place of the IAEA mission with Russian specialists, right before the team’s arrival. “Four shells exploded at a distance of 400 meters from the first power unit of the Zaporozhye NPP. The actions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine directly threatened the life and safety of the Agency inspectors,” Nebenzya alleged.
He requested “additional time to study the document” and requested clarification on the “kind of military equipment” IAEA officials saw during their visit to the ZNPP.
I am finishing my first visit to #Ukraine’s #Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant.@IAEAorg is here to stay and will maintain a continued presence at #ZNPP. pic.twitter.com/k4zO3IMe2I
— Rafael MarianoGrossi (@rafaelmgrossi) September 1, 2022
Ukraine’s representative, Sergiy Kyslytsya, responded by saying that Russians are “well known for their elaborate plans of deceit, sabotage and cover-ups.” He also blamed Russia for the delay in sending an IAEA-led international mission to ZNPP, saying, “Despite their public declarations, the occupiers have resorted to manipulation and unjustified conditions on the mission’s visit as well as shelling of the ZNPP and Energodar thus making the visit impossible so far.”
Kyslytsya noted that “the provocative Russian practices of shelling the ZNPP and the city of Enerhodar pose an unprecedented threat to nuclear security for Ukraine, Europe and the whole world” and called on Moscow to “strictly abide by the laws and customs of war, including those relating to nuclear facilities.” He concluded his address by calling on Russia to “remove [its] military personnel and withdraw [its] weaponry” from the nuclear plant.
Since August, Ukraine has accused Russia of intensifying attacks on the nuclear plant. President Volodymyr Zelensky has said Moscow is waging “nuclear terror.” Authorities have also said Russian shelling has destroyed three radiation sensors in the plant. Moreover, Ukraine’s state-owned nuclear power company, Energoatom, claimed that Russia plans to disconnect the plant from the Ukrainian grid and connect it to the Russian one. Russia, on the other hand, has blamed Ukraine for the shelling.